


Happy Candlenights, Julia Burnsides

by Jairephix



Series: A More Careful Pen [7]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angus is a Blupjeans Baby, Candlenights, Canon Divergent, Fluff, Light Angst, MY OT3 HELL TRAIN MAKES A GUEST APPEARANCE, julia lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 20:43:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17128412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jairephix/pseuds/Jairephix
Summary: Kravitz got Julia in the B.o.B.'s annual Candlenights Gift Swap. What do you get the woman who's smart enough to plan for everything she wants and needs?One more night, that's what.---Part of A More Careful Pen AU





	Happy Candlenights, Julia Burnsides

 Kravitz sighed in despair at the name on the paper.

The drawing for the Bureau's annual Candlenight's Gift Swap (though Taako and Lup pronounced it Swhaap, then burst into giggles when they did) had given him the one person he wasn't terribly certain he could produce a solid gift for. Taako and Lup would be easy enough. Barry would be easy, though also tricky because the laws surrounding necromancy. Lucretia and Davenport would have been a little more formal but still achievable. Magnus and Merle could have been done in a blink.

Hell, he had ideas for most of the Bureau's members.

Julia Burnsides was a tough one to crack.

She was so on top of things she needed, and her frugal spending meant the things she wanted were easily achievable.

This was difficult.

"What's up, Skeleman?" The warm arms of his boyfriend wrapped around his waist, the lanky elf dropping his chin onto the Reaper's shoulder.

"I got Julia in the swap--"

"It's pronounced sw-app, babe--"

"And I don't know what to get her." Taako hummed, thinking as Kravitz continued. "I could just get her things for the shop, but that seems..."

"Impersonal?"

"Yes."

Taako hummed again. He pressed his lips against Kravitz's neck, making the man start. He forgot so often how incredibly _warm_  the wizard was. "I have an idea, but we gotta talk to your mom."

\---

What Taako had meant wasn't trying to dredge up the memory of a mortal woman who had died so long ago Kravitz couldn't remember her face or name any more, but rather the Goddess he served in his death-undeath.

The idea was a solid one, once Taako had explained it to him with more details. It was brilliant, really.

The Raven Queen offered one of her rare, ethereal smiles, too grand for him to really truly comprehend, even in the Astral Plane and without a mortal form to mess with. Her body was vague and more impression than actuality, but he felt the sweeping movement of his arm, the joy in the smile he could feel in the very core of his soul.

"For just this Candlenights Evening. From dusk until midnight." Kravitz frowned, knowing one more piece of information Taako had managed to slip to him, under the guise of asking Magnus about the upcoming anniversary. The reaper had blushed furiously, certain that even the illusionary skull over his normal appearance was permanently stained red. Taako liked to joke they started dating the Candlenights that he had threatened them all, rather than shortly after the spring equinox, when they had gone on their date that had been both business and pleasure.

There had been a particular threat that had been issued by the elf that still made him lose his calm demeanor, but that wasn't what was important right now.

"Can I get a little longer than that?"

He felt the giant force in the dark room ruffle unseen feathers, and tilt a head. "Normally, I wouldn't tolerate the questioning, even by my own Reapers, but...yes, we will allow it, just this once. It is Candlenights, after all."

\---

The traditional swapping of Candlenights gifts around the tree the evening before began. Taako's macaroons and macarons were in many hands, and Lup's spicy hot cocoa was found in many mugs. Laughter and bright lights shown from around the Candlenights shrub. As planned, Kravitz showed up late, with a guest under a heavy hood.

Magnus waved to him from across the room. At this point in the evening, everyone had exchanged gifts except for him. "Hey, Krav!" Julia looked up, almost expectantly, her eyes shining with curiosity at what her gift could be.

"Mr. and Mrs. Burnsides." Goodness, even after hundreds of years at this, he still got a little too excited at exchanging gifts.

"Kravitz." Always polite, that blacksmith. To a point, of course. "Well, I know you got me for the swap."

("SWHAP!" came the twin shouts through the room. He could hear Davenport groan and ask for another bottle of something painfully strong from the hired bartender.)

"I did, yes."

He turned to the cloaked guest beside him, who dropped the hood with all the dramatics of the people Kravitz cared for most up here on this second, false moon. The humans beside him gasped. The blacksmith's hands covered her mouth, tears welling bright in her eyes. Magnus looked torn between comforting his wife and crying himself.

"Maggie. Jules." Steven Waxmen beamed at them both.

"Daddy!" Her voice was thick and choked through her tears, but full of so much joy that Kravitz almost started crying himself. He looked down, tucking his waistcoat straight.

"I got special permission to let him stay the night. You have until dawn, when I have to take him back to the Astral Plane." He looked up through thick eyelashes, gauging their reactions. In the brief time he had looked down, the three had managed to end up in a tight group hug. "I'll leave you to it."

"Kravitz, wait, I--" Julia pulled herself loose from her husband and father for a moment. "I...Thank you."

He just smiled. "Just remember. Dawn."

She nodded.

\---

The night was a mixture of bright laughter and occasional tears as the Burnsides introduced Steven to all their friends. He stood for hours chatting with Carey and Killian, congratulating them on their marriage. He marveled at the food that Taako and Lup had produced, listened politely as Barry tried to explain some advanced spellwork before admitting he understood nothing about it asking for more details, and spent time making terrible jokes and talking philosophy with Merle. He thanked Lucretia for the chance for him to meet his son-in-law, which brought the reserved woman to tears. While no one held a grudge against her now for what she had done, as it had been needed, few thanked her for it.

Angus asked endless questions, much to Steven's delight. He shared a stiff drink and a chat about the different woods needed for a fine craft with Davenport. He smiled knowingly at Johann, Avi, and Ren tucked into a small corner, a private party all to themselves. "You know, your mother and I had a friend and a situation much like that when we were your age--"

"DAD!"

\---

The night flew by, and dawn was close. Many of the members of the Bureau had long since retired for the night, but Magnus, Julia, and Steven stood on the field, looking out over the horizon. Daylight's first fingers were peaking over the horizon.

"Remember when we used to do this every Candlenights with your mother?"

"Yeah, I do."

Magnus smiled softly. They had kept up the tradition, every year without fail.

"We're both so proud of you, honey." Steven turned to them both, letting the rising sun light him from behind.

"I know. I just...I wanted a family like we had."

"Jules, honey..." Steven gestured broadly at the dome dorms around them. "Look around you. Look at the family you have now. Sure, you might not have children, but you found each other. You have people around you who love you." He gave her a wide smile. "You have people who are willing to bring an old man's ghost back from death for just one more night with you."

Julia sniffled, rubbing at her nose as tears broke through the welling at her eyes. "I miss you, Daddy."

"Miss you too, sweetheart. Love you lots."

"Love you loads."

Kravitz was almost loath to break up theis reunion, and he wondered for a brief moment if he could break the rules just this once. But if he did it once, he'd end up doing it again, and again and again, and soon his own future in-laws would be hunting him down too. "It's time."

"Krav?" He paused, scythe slicing between planes of reality, creating the rent that would allow him to step into the Astral Sea with his guest. Magnus nodded. "Seriously. Thank you."

"For Taako's family...for mine? Anything."


End file.
